The conformations and molecular structures of diisopropyl
disulfide
have been studied by high-resolution microwave spectroscopy and quantum
chemical calculations. Three conformers, G′GG′,
G′GT, and GGG′, have been
observed in the jet expansion. The global minimum, G′GG′, adopts a configuration with the G′ orientation
of H–C–S–S and S–S–C–H and
the G orientation of C–S–S–C
showing the C
2 symmetry. The rotational
spectra of monosubstituted 13C and 34S isotopologues
have also been recorded for G′GG′,
leading to an accurate structural determination of this conformer.
Two additional 34S isotopologues have also been measured
for G′GT. The relative energies of three observed
conformers calculated at the MP2/6-311++(d,p) level of theory are
within 2 kJ mol–1, while the relative intensity
measurements suggested their population ratio to be N
G′GG′
/N
G′GT
/N
GGG′ ≈ 5:3:2.